Thursday, September 3, 2026

Abkhazia

Sokhumi regime lifts restrictions on Enguri bridge

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Restrictions on Enguri bridge imposed on June 27 were abolished on Wednesday, the Security Service of the breakaway Abkhazia states. The restrictions were imposed in the wake of anti-Russian protests in Tbilisi due to “security reasons”. Later the Sokhumi regime partially eased the ban to cross the sole passage to the breakaway republic from Georgia … Read more

Sokhumi brings in new restrictions at Enguri Bridge, locals charged USD 17 for passing

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GALI, DFWatch–Sokhumi has brought in new restrictions on the administrative borderline between breakaway Abkhazia and Georgia proper, affecting many businesses in the area.  Crossing north-south across the Enguri Bridge is essential to many in the area, who rely on trade in products such as hazelnuts. But despite the new restrictions, anyone who pays money can … Read more

Sokhumi claims opposition leader's illness due to food intoxication, not deliberate poisoning

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Abkhazia’s breakaway authorities claim opposition leader Aslan Bzhania’s sudden illness is due to ordinary food intoxication, not deliberate poisoning. Sokhumi thus rejects conclusions by a laboratory in Munich, which found earlier that samples from the leading opposition contender contained high levels of lead and cadmium. De facto deputy prosecutor general, Epshsou Kakulia, told the … Read more

Breakaway Abkhazia to reintroduce the death penalty for drug crime from 2020

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Breakaway authorities in Abkhazia plan to lift its moratorium on capital punishment in 2020 as tougher sentences are brought in against drug crime. The de facto parliament of breakaway Abkhazia has adopted a new law which imposes tougher punishments for selling large quantities of drugs, including life sentence and even death penalty. The law … Read more

Illegal trade on rise due to dire economic situation, Gali residents say

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GALI, DFWatch – The loss of sources of income related to the spread of deadly brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), which has devastated locals’ orchards, urges residents of Gali to return to illegal business of smuggling goods, particularly cigarettes, from the breakaway Abkhazia to Georgia proper.

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51 people jailed for entering Georgia’s breakaway territories the wrong way

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gali1
The bridge over the river Inguri is currently the only legal way to enter Abkhazia. (DF Watch.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia has jailed 51 persons over the last nine years for entering Abkhazia or South Ossetia from the wrong direction. The ombudsman now calls for a review of the law.

Georgia’s Law on the Occupied Territories

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